David Engel News

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham, Executive Director Ellen Richard and Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) are thrilled to present Ashley Argota ('True Jackson VP,' 'Lab Rats'), Thomas Hobson (Ain't Misbehavin', Recorded in Hollywood), Heath Calvert (Amelie, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Riley Costello ('Hairspray Live,' Peter Pan and Tinker Bell: A Pirate's Christmas), Andrews Barnicle (Twelve Angry Men,  Fallen Angels), Roland Rusinek (The Phantom of the Opera) and David Engel (Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, La Cage Aux Folles) in Lythgoe Family Panto's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CHRISTMAS ROSE.  

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham, Executive Director Ellen Richard and Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) are thrilled to announce that Laguna Playhouse favorite Andrew Barnicle (Twelve Angry Men, Fallen Angels) will join Ashley Argota ("True Jackson VP," "Lab Rats"), Thomas Hobson (Ain't Misbehavin', Recorded in Hollywood), Heath Calvert (Amelie, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Riley Costello ("Hairspray Live," Peter Pan and Tinker Bell: A Pirate's Christmas) Roland Rusinek (The Phantom of the Opera) and David Engel (Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, La Cage Aux Folles) in Lythgoe Family Panto's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CHRISTMAS ROSE.

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham, Executive Director Ellen Richard and Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) are thrilled to announce that Ashley Argota ("True Jackson VP," "Lab Rats"), Thomas Hobson (Ain't Misbehavin', Recorded in Hollywood), Heath Calvert (Amelie, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Riley Costello ("Hairspray Live," Peter Pan and Tinker Bell: A Pirate's Christmas) Roland Rusinek (The Phantom of the Opera) and David Engel (Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, La Cage Aux Folles) are set to star in Lythgoe Family Panto's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CHRISTMAS ROSE. Written by Kris Lythgoe, directed by Sheldon Epps, choreography by Mandy Moore, musical direction by Keith Harrison and musical supervisor Michael Orland, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CHRISTMAS ROSE will begin performances on Wednesday, December 5 and run through December 30, 2018 with a press opening on Friday, December 7 at 7:00pm at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.Casting is led by LFP Producer Becky Lythgoe, and the full cast will be announced at a later date.  

'LAs Next Great Stage Star is more than a competition - it is an experience, deeply felt and expressed by these super-talented young people who are the new faces of our business. If this is any indication, the future of theatre is in good hands!!' - Multi-Million selling recording artist and author, Sam Harris

CHICAGO, the longest-running American musical on Broadway, makes its long-awaited debut at the Moonlight Amphitheatre September 12 - 29 at 7:30 p.m. Two CHICAGO vets closely associated with the Broadway production bring extra spark to The Moonlight. Terra C. MacLeod, currently starring in the Broadway production of CHICAGO as Velma, takes on the role of Roxie at The Moonlight. Roxane Carrasco, playing Velma at The Moonlight, has played the same starring role in the Broadway production. Fellow Broadway vet David Engel returns to The Moonlight stage as Billy Flynn. MacLeod is also co-directing the Moonlight production alongside James Vasquez. Corey Wright, recently appearing in the Broadway national tour production of CHICAGO, choreographs while JD Dumas is musical director and Kenneth Gammie is conductor. Tickets range in price $17 - $57 and are on sale now through VisTix at (760) 724-2110 and online at moonlightstage.com.

The 2019 Kidz Cabaret Series features sensory-friendly performances for children. With an intimate setting in the theater's Drapkin Cabaret & Lounge, the long-running series introduces the performing arts to young children, ages 3-7. These shows let children interact directly with performers and experience the joy of live theater up close.

On August 27th, the Debbie Reynolds Main stage at the historic El Portal Theater will host the 12th annual LA's Next Great Stage Star(R), following a six week competition.  Creator, Michael Sterling, along with his Co-Executive Producer and Co-Sponsor, Barbara Van Orden, are proud to offer this annual opportunity to talented individuals seeking to spotlight their abilities. Presented by Princess Cruises LA's Next Great Stage Star(R) is the only competition of its kind in the Western United States.

The thespian spirits of the many theatrical greats that have graced the boards of at the historic El Portal Theater, including the main stage's namesake Debbie Reynolds, could be felt as the annual 6 week long production of LA's Next Great Stage Star launched last night (Monday, July 23rd) to standing ovations for the lucky few talented individuals selected from a long a grueling audition process.

George M. Cohan has been attributed to being the father of the American Musical, whose works are the very roots of Broadway and musical theater that we know today. Without his numerous contributions to the American theater, Broadway as we all know it probably wouldn't even exist. This is the idea that's drummed rather loudly and patriotically by the ending of YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, the 2004 stage musical now in the midst of its Southern California regional premiere via Musical Theatre West. A fairly entertaining, if inescapably old-fashioned jukebox musical that paints rather broad strokes rather than giving a deep dive into Cohan's life story, this new production continues performances at the Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts in Long Beach through July 22, 2018.

Previous attempts have been made to bring George M. Cohan's life to the stage. None is remembered, however, as much as the 1942 film starring James Cagney. Book writer David Armstrong has constructed a much more realistic account of Yankee Doodle Dandy, tryimg to avoid the traps of Hollywood glamor and tinsel, currently onstage at MTW Long Beach at the Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts through July 22 In spite of the fantastic cast and sturdy direction and scintillating choreography by James Rocco, it turns in a rather weak account of the father of the American musical comedy (1878-1942). Not that you shouldn't see it; go for the cast and the sheer entertainment value of the music alone that set the scene for Rodgers nd Hammerstein and others to follow.

Celebrate America and the beginnings of our country's musical theatre history with a new look at the life of George M. Cohan in the Southern California premiere of Musical Theatre West's (MTW) production of Yankee Doodle Dandy! at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center July 6-22, 2018.  For tickets go to www.musical.org, call (562) 856-1999 ext. 4 or visit the MTW Ticket Office.  Tickets start at $20.

Stars from some of the most popular shows on Broadway, including Angels in America, The Band's Visit, Dear Evan Hansen, Frozen, Hello, Dolly!, The Lion King, Mean Girls, Once on This Island and SpongeBob SquarePants, gathered today at the Minskoff Theatre for the 32nd annual Easter Bonnet Competition. What were the results of this fundraising season? A whopping $5,721,879!

The West Bank Cafe/Laurie Beechman Theatre became all PLAID last night in a Benefit For Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids and the special production proved that PLAID will happily be on our planet FOREVER! The performance continues for two more nights.

Laguna Playhouse is proud to announce a very special event, the Coyote Stageworks, Founding Artistic Director Chuck Yates, production of Bets Malone starring as Mae West in DIRTY BLONDE, written by Claudia Shear and directed James W. Gruessing, Jr.. DIRTY BLONDE will perform six performances only, Thursday, April 26 through Sunday, April 29 at Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

There is much to enjoy in Coyote Stageworks' production of THE COCKTAIL HOUR, by A.R. Gurney: the script is funny, the directing is top-notch, and there is a great deal of excellent acting. Unfortunately, one actor was sick at the performance I attended, resulting in problems for the show that night.

Off Broadway's iconic harmonious hit, Forever Plaid returns to New York for a limited engagement to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS for three special performances on April 5th, 6th and 7th (7PM) at the Laurie Beechman Theatre at West Bank Cafe (407 W. 42nd Street).

'One of the few great musical comedies of the last thirty years.' - Howard Taubman' 'What a show! What a hit! What a solid hit!' - Walter Kerr' 'The best musical of the century.' - John Chapman'

Are subways really for sleeping? The York Theatre Company presents the 1961 Broadway musical Subways Are for Sleeping with music byJule Styne and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, suggested by the book by Edmund G. Love, the final show in the Winter 2018 Musicals in Mufti Series celebrating the work of the legendary composer Jule Styne. Directed by Stuart Ross, and with music direction by David Hancock Turner, the cast features Karl Josef Co, David Engel, Beth Glover, David Josefsberg, Alyse Alan Louis, Kathryn McCreary, Gerry McIntyre, Gina Milo, Eric William Morris, and Kilty Reidy.

Are subways really for sleeping? The York Theatre Company presents the 1961 Broadway musical Subways Are for Sleeping with music by Jule Styne and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, suggested by the book by Edmund G. Love, the final show in the Winter 2018 Musicals in Mufti Series celebrating the work of the legendary composer Jule Styne. Directed by Stuart Ross, and with music direction by David Hancock Turner, the cast features Karl Josef Co, David Engel, Beth Glover, David Josefsberg, Alyse Alan Louis, Kathryn McCreary, Gerry McIntyre, Gina Milo, Eric William Morris, and Kilty Reidy.

Are subways really for sleeping? The York Theatre Company presents the 1961 Broadway musical Subways Are for Sleeping with music byJule Styne and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, suggested by the book by Edmund G. Love, the final show in the Winter 2018 Musicals in Mufti Series celebrating the work of the legendary composer Jule Styne. Directed by Stuart Ross, and with music direction by David Hancock Turner, the cast features Karl Josef Co, David Engel, Beth Glover, David Josefsberg, Alyse Alan Louis, Kathryn McCreary, Gerry McIntyre, Gina Milo, Eric William Morris, and Kilty Reidy.